


Love is the Shortest Distance Between Hearts

by soulofevil



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Valentine's Day, hella long distance relationship, typical quakerider angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2019-03-18 18:44:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13687575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soulofevil/pseuds/soulofevil
Summary: Valentine's Day is hard when your boyfriend is in hell but Daisy still feels the love.





	Love is the Shortest Distance Between Hearts

Robbie woke up to that aching pull in his chest, the one that meant this cycle of his time on Earth was coming to an end. Not today at least. Tomorrow, maybe the day after, but soon. At least the timing didn't suck for once, he looked over at Daisy’s sleeping form next to him, unable and unwilling to stop the smile that rose to his lips. Rolling over, Robbie draped an arm over Daisy and she snuggled up against him, murmuring something in her sleep before her breathing settled back into a soothing rhythm. Last time Robbie had left he had barely had the chance to send Gabe and Daisy a text about his departure, hell had quite literally broken loose on some other realm and that had demanded an immediate response. This time he had made it through the assortment of holidays, a weekend with Daisy, and would have the time to get things in order before leaving.

Robbie stayed with Daisy until the first hints of light started to peak through his curtains. He would have spent the whole day in bed with her if he could have, a last-ditch effort to make up for all the time they would lose while he was gone for weeks and months. Instead, he slowly separated himself from Daisy so he wouldn't wake her and headed for the kitchen. Once he had a coffee in hand Robbie headed outside to watch what was left of the sunrise. He had never thought he would miss being up at the ass crack of dawn but those long trips to various hellscapes had given him a new appreciation for the little things. 

He watched the sky lighten, the deep pinks fading to rosy peach as the sun crept over the horizon and made a list of things he would need to take care of today. Mostly mundane things but also preparing things for when he was gone. Gabe’s graduation was coming up, he’d have to order something for that. Maybe Daisy’s birthday too even if that was seven months away. The thought of being gone so long, all the holidays, and special events, and unpredictable happenings that he would miss made his heart ache. 

Robbie tried to shake those thoughts from his mind. He could pity himself and his circumstances when he was in hell, today he was going to make sure the two people he had sacrificed everything for knew how much he loved them and that they wouldn't forget it.

\---------

It seemed like this year everyone had someone special for Valentine's Day. FitzSimmons was in the same place for one. Mack had shared his romantic dinner plans for him and Elena. Coulson and May weren't into the PDA but Daisy didn't miss those lingering touches between the two. Even Piper was gushing about the sweet gift her girlfriend had gotten her. 

Daisy tried not to sulk, she wasn't alone, her boyfriend was just in some miserable hell with no return date. And thinking of how awful things must be for Robbie just made her feel even more guilty. What did she have to complain about? 

Turning her listless gaze into her computer, Daisy finally closed the blank word document. Wishing that her mission report would write itself wasn't working and she didn't think ‘the mission went hunky-dory’ was going to be enough. A workout might not get this report done any faster but at least she would be doing something. And maybe she'd get lucky and the new trainees would need a butt whooping.

The newbies might not have _needed_ a butt whooping but they had gotten one anyways. Doing something felt good and Daisy half hoped an emergency would pop up just so she could avoid sinking back into her melancholy. She stopped as she returned to her computer, a small vase with a bouquet of bright flowers sat next to her keyboard. Not a daisy or rose in the whole mix and Daisy suddenly found it hard to breathe. Robbie. It had to be from Robbie. He was the only one who wouldn't give into the cheesiness of daisies and roses. She pulled out her phone, hoping that maybe there'd be a message from Robbie on there, that he was really back, that her longing for him was enough to pull him out of hell and back into her arms.

There was nothing new on her phone but Daisy let herself listen to the voicemail Robbie had left the last time he had returned from hell. She discreetly wiped at the tears as she listened to Robbie's rough voice while admiring the delicate flowers. It wasn't as good as having the real thing but nice to have some sign of Robbie here.

“Daisy! There you are!”

Jemma's voice cut through her thoughts and Daisy appreciated her friend's early warning. It gave Daisy a chance to put her phone down and regain some of her composure before spinning around in her chair to face Jemma who was already holding a box out for her. Daisy recognized it from the bakery she loved, one of their boxes for their specialty cupcakes.

“I didn't want to leave these sitting out in the open. I doubt anyone would take them but some people just can't control their sweet tooth.”

“Oh my god, it was one time Jemma. I thought those cookies were for everyone.”

Despite her grumbling, Daisy couldn’t hide the grin that was growing on her face. Jemma’s teasing was a welcomed respite from her downer mood, improved by the cupcakes in the box Jemma had handed over. Robbie had thought it was ridiculous that people would pay that much money for cupcakes but any time Daisy was in need of a pick me up, she would always find one waiting for her. Red heart sprinkles dotted the mound of cream cheese frosting that topped the two red velvet cupcakes in the box, the treats looking too good to eat. Even Jemma let out an ‘ohh’ at the sight of them.

Daisy looked at the clock before shutting the box and grabbing Jemma’s arm.

“Come on, I’ll share.”

It went unsaid that girl talk would be the payment but that's what friends were for. Especially when Jemma more than anyone could sympathize with her situation with Robbie. They found a quiet room and Daisy picked out one of the cupcakes before sliding the box over to Jemma. Daisy dipped her finger in the frosting first and licked it off. It was hard not to think about the last time she had shared a cupcake with Robbie, he went surprisingly well with buttercream frosting.

“So does this mean he’s back?”

Daisy shook her head, keeping her eyes on her treat rather than looking at Jemma.

“No. At least I don't think so.”

She pulled her phone out to check it again. It would be pretty lucky if today of all days was the one when Robbie came back but Robbie didn’t believe in luck. No, this was Robbie doing his best to take care of people even when he wasn’t there.

“I think he was just planning ahead.”

Jemma let out a wistful sigh before taking a bite of the cupcake, a look of bliss crossing her face.

“I know it would be better if Robbie could be here but it was sweet of him to think of doing this. Those little reminders really help.”

Jemma reached out with the hand not holding the cupcake, taking Daisy’s hand and giving it a squeeze.

“He’ll be back Daisy.”

Daisy nodded because it was true. Robbie always came back. She shifted the conversation away from the depressing state of her relationship to let Jemma gush about Fitz and their plans before they were shooed out of the room for an actual meeting. They walked to the lab before parted ways and Daisy lingering for a few minutes to watch Fitz and Simmons. It was hard to be too upset about her current situation after everything those two had gone through. At least traveling to different worlds was a norm for Robbie that she had known about from the start. It didn't stop the situation from sucking but it put some perspective on it.

The mission report beckoned and Daisy settled in to finish it. It was a convenient excuse to get out of her friends’ attempts to invite her along to things. She appreciated it but being a third wheel sounded even worse than just being alone. 

She was proofreading her own badassery when the email alert popped up on her computer screen. Not her SHIELD email but the personal one that only a handful of people had. She clicked it, already feeling that tightness of longing settle in her chest even as butterflies stirred in her stomach. It was something from Robbie, she knew it. He hadn't included any kind of note with the flowers or cupcakes and the email was no different, not even a subject much less a written message. Instead, there was a video attachment, the thumbnail showing Robbie.

It was hard to resist playing the video right now and Daisy reluctantly closed the window. Work first and then she could reward herself with Robbie’s video. Daisy was sure this was something she would want to watch in private.

Proofreading was quickly finished and once Daisy was sure nothing else was needed from her, she was out of there. Halfway to her room, Daisy changed her mind on where she wanted to go and headed for the garage instead. She passed the handful of black government SUVs, heading towards the one point of bright red among the black. Parked beside Lola was Lucy, the Charger almost melting into the shadows around it. 

Daisy slipped into the driver's seat, closing her eyes as she sunk into the worn leather. She wasn't sure if the car smelled like Robbie, or if it was just Robbie who always smelled faintly of his car but it was a comfort Daisy was grateful for. She pulled out her phone while making herself comfy in Robbie’s spot and brought up the video.

The view was jostled around as Robbie propped his recording phone up before sitting back. She recognized the Reyes kitchen around him and knew he had done this on his last night home, he was wearing that dark blue shirt she liked so much because it brought out his eyes.  
_”Hey.”_  
Daisy’s fingers tightened on her phone as Robbie flashed a smile at her, one that brought out his dimples but couldn’t erase the sadness in his eyes.  
_“Sorry our first Valentine's has to be so long distance. And I know you’d say it’s fine and it doesn't matter but it does to me. So I hope you got the gifts and that they made today a little better for you.”_

They had and Daisy wished there was something she could have done for Robbie. Would he even know that today was Valentines? Or did it all just stretch out into one long, never-ending night of loneliness for him?

 _“I’ve just got one last thing for you Dais.”_  
He leaned out of frame for a moment and Daisy was surprised when he came back in view that Robbie had a guitar in hand. A shy smile touched his lips as he strummed the instrument.  
_“I haven't done this since… Well not for years.”_

Robbie's strumming turned to cords, something slow that he added his voice to. Daisy didn't understand the Spanish he was singing but she didn't need to know the words to enjoy Robbie's low voice. While she would sometimes catch Robbie singing and humming to himself while he worked in the kitchen or on his car, this was the first time that Daisy had really heard him sing before. She had always thought that voice of his was sexy but now she was realizing she had been missing out on so much. That man was going to serenade her every night for a week when he got back for holding out on her like this.

The song finally ended and Robbie looked off to the side, towards his room and where she had probably been sleeping that night, a look of longing already in his eyes. He finally looked back at his phone.  
_“I know this is cheating but I love you, Daisy.”_  
If she hadn't already been in love with this guy, that shy smile would have done it. It was the first time he had said those words out loud and he was right, it was cheating. But even as just a recording, Daisy's heart had sped up and she wished Robbie was here just so she could kiss him.  
_"I'll get back to you as soon as I can, I promise."_  
She knew it was true and she would be here waiting for him. Robbie gave his phone one last reluctant look before he ended the recording and the video stopped. 

For a few minutes, there was silence as Daisy held her phone to her chest. Maybe this wasn’t the most typical Valentine’s Day, but the smile on her face and the way her heart continued to flutter was enough for Daisy to think that it wasn’t such a bad one. Her thumb tapped the play button again before Daisy shut her eyes, letting Robbie's voice fill the Charger once again, hoping that the day it would really be Robbie here with her wasn’t too far in the future.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments always welcomed!


End file.
